Princess Kalake died at Rob Ferreira Hospital in Nelspruit on December 15 and was buried on December 21.
This comes after she was fighting for her life in Bethal Hospital since giving birth in April last year.
Her aunt, Sesi Mahlangu, told the Ridge Times that Kalake was still a healthy woman when she went into labour.
Kalake was walking and talking on her way to the hospital after the clinic confirmed she was about to give birth.
Mahlangu said the family was stunned to see her in that condition.
The family was waiting to hear from the hospital after Kalake was admitted, but the hospital never contacted the hospital, even though they left their contact details.
“The hospital staff did not even bother to call us after the baby was born,” said Mahlangu.
As a result, the family sent someone to the hospital to check if Kalake had given birth. The family was appalled when their messenger returned with no news, as they did not give her any information and told her to summon the family to the hospital.
Mahlangu and the rest of the family rushed to the hospital, where they were ushered into the boardroom for a meeting with the hospital management.
She claimed that the management kept saying that God was with them without telling them what happened to Kalake.
Mahlangu said the family kept asking about the whereabouts of Kalake and if the baby was born.
The hospital management eventually informed the family Kalake had been transferred to Ermelo Hospital after the delivery, that she sustained brain damage and her head was swelling.
Again, the hospital management told them God was with them.
Kalake’s healthy baby boy was then handed to Mahlangu. They named him Sibongokuhle, which means ‘Thanks for what is good’.
Mahlangu said the news of Kalake shocked them and they told the hospital management they would go to Ermelo to see how Kalake was doing.
When the family arrived at Ermelo Hospital, they heard Kalake was admitted to the ICU. The nurses asked them to wait so that they could bath Kalake before the family checked on her.
Kalake was sent back to Bethal Hospital in June, where she was kept in the surgical ward for women for five months until the Mpumalanga Health Department’s MEC, Sesekane Manzini, visited the family.
The MEC also visited Kalake in hospital and they transferred her to the Rob Ferreira Hospital in Nelspruit on December 1.
Mahlangu said as the family, they are still grieving Kalake’s passing while they still believe that if Bethal Hospital transferred her to Rob Ferreira Hospital sooner, she would still be alive.
Mahlangu thanked the eMzinoni community and other community organisations who were there for them since Kalake’s story was published in the Ridge Times.
“We want to thank the newspaper that played a significant role by informing the public about our daughter’s situation.
“After the story was published, we received great support and prayers from different people and groups in the community while some even accompanied us when we visited Princess in the hospital.
“Through this support, we are getting healed, although we are worried about her child who will now grow up without his mother,” said Mahlangu.
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